OK, while I'm on a roll here. I guess I really don't see that the variance in need for lacquer is really all that different from the variance in need for deep shoulder needling on the hard-pressed hammers. I've heard reports from 20 to 200 blows in each shoulder, depending on source and hammer set. ?? I realize that I'm speaking from mostly ignorance here, as most of my work involves lacquered hammers. But is it really so different that one set of hammers will be fine with 2 or 3 visits with the lacquer, and another require 7 or 8? I will take a moment to clarify, from my experience. The NY Steinway hammers will always want SOME lacquer somewhere. Smaller pianos are often fine with no lacquer in the tenor. But most will want 3-8 applications in the top octave. How many depends in part on what the belly will tolerate. ! And in part what that particular sheet of wool is like, and in part what the requirements of the situation are, etc., etc. But I don't see where that's so different from the amount of set- up work in "prevoicing" deep needling in the harder hammers. It varies, also. And is not a design defect--it's a design feature combined with the reality of working with wool. As is the lacquer. I have asked before, and will ask again, can anyone come up with a SINGLE factory-installed Steinway D hammer that is lacquer-free? From any era? This request is restricted to the Model D NY hammer from the factory or the Basement. I'd really appreciate ONE piece of hard evidence on this one. Anyone? I'll reiterate that I've been told by a lot of Steinway people from at least 3 (4?) generations that ALL the D's need at least any lacquer (or it's substitute) in ALL the hammers to develop tone satisfactorily. A necessary element of tone development. And we all know which pianos the artists tend to select, for whatever reasons... Doug ********************************* Doug Wood Piano Technician School of Music University of Washington dew2 at uw.edu doug at dougwoodpiano.com (206) 935-5797 *********************************
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